PARK CITY, Utah - UC Davis was picked to finish in seventh place by the media and in ninth by the head coaches in preseason Big Sky Conference football polls released by the conference during its annual summer kickoff in Park City, Utah, on Tuesday morning.

The Aggies, who finished in a tie for fourth place in the Big Sky with a 5-3 record last season, received 228 points from the media and 66 points from the league's 13 head coaches. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.

The top five teams in each poll mirror each other with Eastern Washington the favorite in each one. The Eagles received 12 first-place votes from the coaches with Montana receiving the other. The media awarded Eastern Washington 34 first-place votes with Montana and Montana State each earning one.

Montana, Montana State, Cal Poly, Northern Arizona and Southern Utah follow Eastern Washington in order in each poll. The next three teams - Sacramento State, Portland State and UC Davis - cover the next three spots in each ranking with the Aggies and Hornets switching seventh and ninth places each one.

UC Davis was picked 11th and the 12th by the media and coaches, respectively, last season.

"Respect is something that is earned and not given," said head coach Ron Gould. "The teams at the top of the polls have earned that respect from the coaches and the media. This is an exciting time of the year. We're thrilled to get the season getting and earning the right to say we're one of the better teams in the country and in the conference."

The opening of preseason practices is less than three weeks away. The Aggies will hit the field for the first time on Aug. 4 in preparation for the opener at national power Stanford on Aug. 30 at Stanford Stadium. Fort Lewis (Colo.) will serve as the home opener on Sept. 6 before another FBS opponent in Colorado State awaits the visiting Aggies on Sept. 14.

Season tickets for the upcoming season are currently on sale through the UC Davis Ticket Office at (530) 752-AGS1 and here.